1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to the field of fasteners for use in connecting two or more elements together, and is more specifically directed to a connector for releaseably securing a first element having a hollow cavity to a second element such that a portion of the second element is fixed within the cavity of the first element. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is directed to a connector for removably securing a stem attachment, such as a caster, into the hollow end of a leg or other support.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of different means are known for removably fixing two components or members of an object together. For example, it is known to connect a caster wheel to the bottom of a leg or other support, via a caster stem inserted into a socket positioned within a cavity in the bottom end of the support. The caster stem commonly includes a peripheral channel into which a mounting ring in the socket is received to lock the caster stem in place within the socket. While this method for connecting a caster wheel to a support is useful, it is often times difficult to push the stem into the locked position. In addition, it can be difficult to remove the caster stem from the socket if the caster wheel later breaks or the caster stem otherwise needs to be removed. The sockets are commonly made of molded plastic which can break or deform making it even more difficult to insert or remove the caster stem.